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Vermont Yankee ♦ Issues ♦ VT State Nuclear Advisory Panel

 

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station

The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (Vermont Yankee) is a nominal 650 megawatt boiling water reactor located in the southeastern corner of Vermont, in the town of Vernon. Vermont Yankee is  the largest electric generation station within Vermont. In 2002, Vermont Yankee was sold by the eight New England utilities that owned the plant to Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC, a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Vermont Yankee began operating in 1972 and was licensed to operate for 40 years through March 12, 2012. Vermont Yankee received a renewed operating license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) extending the plant operation for an additional 20 years to 2032. However, Vermont Yankee must also receive approval from the State of Vermont to operate beyond 2012. Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee has petitioned the Vermont Public Service Board for a Certificate of Public Good , in Docket 7862, to operate Vermont Yankee for an additional twenty-year period ending in 2032. That case is still pending in front of the Public Service Board, and Vermont Yankee has permission to operate beyond March 12, 2012, while that case is pending.

 

Nuclear Issues Vermont Faces

In the present and coming years, Vermont faces a number of issues related to the Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee power station (Vermont Yankee) including:

  • The national dilemma of no permanent storage plan for spent nuclear fuel from power reactors.
  • Additional studies are being conducted concerning lessons learned from the problems uncovered at Fukushima, Japan following the tsunami event there.

For more information, see the Public Service Board's, Major Pending Proceedings Page for the Electric Industry.

Also, the Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan contains more extensive discussion of these and other nuclear issues.

 

The Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP)

The Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP) is governed by VSA Title 18, Chapter 34. The Commissioner of the Public Service Department chairs the panel, which meets periodically to consider issues relating to the present and future use of nuclear power in general, and of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in particular. The Panel advises the Governor, General Assembly and agencies of the state with a written annual report. Copies of the latest and past annual reports may be obtained by contacting the Panel Secretaryat 802-828-4071. Information about the Panel may be obtained from the panel staff person, State Nuclear Engineer Uldis Vanags, 802 828-1784. More information can be obtained on the VSNAP website.

Meetings
Next Scheduled Meeting

Check back for information about the next Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP) meeting.

Past Meetings

The Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP) met in the Vernon Elementary School, 381 Governor Hunt Road, Vernon, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Members

The Vermont State Nuclear Advisory Panel (VSNAP) is comprised of seven members:

  • The Secretary of the Agency of Human Services, or designee
  • The Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources, or designee
  • The Commissioner of the Department of Public Service
  • One Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
  • One Member of the Vermont Senate
  • Two Members of the Public
Reports & Resources